Environmental Responsibility

BNE is committed to reducing our environmental footprint and protecting our vital resources. We use environmentally preferable building materials whenever possible. We design our land-development projects to have a minimal environmental impact. And we’ve taken steps to reduce our energy and water consumption system wide.

We are land developers who have a special love for the land itself. In all of our communities we let the land dictate our approach. To us it’s about harmony. Our mission is simple, to create environments that are the perfect products of land and purpose. These are communities where people benefit from beautiful, natural surroundings and thoughtful amenities. Where extraordinary steps are taken to ensure that even the most basic of necessities is handled in a superior way. Where lives are enriched by the land and the land is used to fullest potential, which sometimes means doing absolutely nothing to it.

For example:

Viniterra at the New Kent Vineyards outside Richmond is creating a high-quality rural community using the highest land-planning standards that compliment the surrounding area. It is our vision that this community be ecologically sensitive through wetland preservation and gentle grading; that new architecture and structures are inspired by, but not replicate, existing historical sites; that its neighborhoods enhance and augment New Kent County’s rural character through continued agricultural uses, balanced with limited commercial and supporting residential uses.

In addition, BNE has implemented the following programs in all of our restaurants to maximize energy and water efficiency:

Accountability for utilities usage – when utility usage exceeds normal parameters in one of our facilities, our third-party utilities management company notifies BNE management immediately. Technical crews check the facility in question for water leaks or energy waste and correct any issues present.

Energy-management devices – in addition to our reporting system, energy measuring devices monitor equipment in our locations to calculate average energy usage. These reports are used to find new ways to conserve.

Energy-efficient lighting – Interior and exterior lighting in the majority of BNE restaurants have been replaced with energy efficient systems. The changes have realized up to 17 percent energy reduction.

The latest HV/AC systems – we have installed energy efficient heating and cooling systems that operate at a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 12 or better, the newest recommendation from the Department of Energy.